That car just would never go on restarts. Honestly, the car Saturday did the same thing on several, so I wonder if it wasn't Tony instead the car. The car looked good at speed, but all of Speedweeks it just didn't look mind-numbingly fast in the two-car draft like what the 21 and others were, which is what it would have needed to win the 500.

Such a disappointment, I knew he probably wasn't gonna win, just didn't feel it today, but to get lulled into that false hope again, gosh. I thought with Mark behind him, "Oh man, here we go," and then they got dropkicked on the restart.

Oh well. Maybe car No. 14 in try No. 14 in 2012.

"This one's for every one of those fans in the stands that pull for me every week and take all the bull**** from everybody else." - Tony Stewart, July 29, 2007

I am not sure what happened either to Tony but at least he finished the race. If you look at all the past drivers in the Chase many of them DNF or finished at the back. Ryan must be upset also. He had a real chance of winning too. Congratulations to Trevor. Nice young man. His win does not hurt the others in the points.

I knew he was in trouble with Martin behind him, Martin doesn't like to draft & is horrible at it too. What really surprised me was Bobby LaBonte not drafting with Tony when he had a choice between Trevor or Tony.Tony is a friend & has helped Bobby quite a few times in the past. In fact, the very last race that Bobby won (3 yrs ago?) it was Tony that got him there.Tony's commet Mother F%#%&erks at the end was probably just that frustration coming out about that last lap with Mark. I wonder if Tony will mark that down in his book as "wait til next time you need help Bobby" buddy. I know I would, but I'm not a very nice person that way.The boards are blaming Tony for Ryans wrecks, GIVE ME A BREAK !!!! On to Phoenix & I hope he kicks butt & thumbs his nose at those who slighted him. Sorry, I am so frustrated for Tony myself, I do understand his angst. Please understand mine. Thanks Friends

Those who intentionally live off another’s labor will always want more free stuff!

Just my opinion, but I think Martin bailed on him, maybe dragged the brake a bit to lose him. The #48, was out, the #24 out, the #88 out, keep a great car from getting ahead of your woe-begotten teammates.....Suddenly Smoke's dancing with himself, and no one was going to let a strong car like he had all day back in line.Bobby, maybe, but he could look really good helping a kid to the line over someone else, especially when the kid doesn't get Sprint Cup points for the win.

i take exception to certain things posted, as it is in my nature to question everything. I find it very hard to believe that mark martin would sacrifice a good finish just so that tony could not win.Second I be if you ask tony he would tell you that labonte had no obligation to push tony forward, you go where your car works the best, its the final laps of the 500 and each driver is out to get the best finish, not everything revolves around tony stewart ( im sure this will #### people off, but oh well.) As a ryan fan i can sit here and question why tony didnt work with his teammate, but i really dont care, because he ran up front all day without him, and it is really sad to see drivers get put down because they dont help tony, its the same rap every time tony doesnt win, "well it was so and so's fault for not helping him, yea i was bummed JJ got in a crash, but i didnt sit there and say "#### that michael waltrip for starting the crash." its called racing, and that stuff happens,people need to look at the bigger picture, if there are so called fans out there, how about appreciating the fact you get to see your driver race, win or lose. appreciate the fact no one got hurt, i find it funny how people let it ruin their day when their driver dont win, there will be a time when JJ isnt the hot driver and he starts to finish low in the standings, but i will back him even more when that time comes, because i get to see my fav driver race.

I wondered if anyone was going to talk about the 14 causing one of Ryan's wrecks. On TV coverage they did say that Smoke got into the back of the car that caused Ryan to wreck but I think Smoke got bumped from behind. And what was that with Robby Gordon coming back in where there was no room? I never liked that guy-- he plays dirty and he doesn't care who he wrecks. Did he really think he could still win the race? Because taking the chance to cause a major wreck is stupid and selfish unless you really think you can win the thing.

HiddenHollow wrote:Did he say anything specific on the radio regarding what happened?

I heard a lot of swearing and Tony said something in reference to "that 30-something car". I think when that car wedged itself between the wall and Tony, it altered his draft/air flow and he was essentially pushed back and couldn't gain any momentum and I don't think Marky was able to dance like he needed to. He maybe didn't have enough air to get going,I am not sure. I was standing right there and was watching/listening and still couldn't make sense of it.

michaeljohn wrote:i take exception to certain things posted, as it is in my nature to question everything. I find it very hard to believe that mark martin would sacrifice a good finish just so that tony could not win.Second I be if you ask tony he would tell you that labonte had no obligation to push tony forward, you go where your car works the best, its the final laps of the 500 and each driver is out to get the best finish, not everything revolves around tony stewart ( im sure this will #### people off, but oh well.) As a ryan fan i can sit here and question why tony didnt work with his teammate, but i really dont care, because he ran up front all day without him, and it is really sad to see drivers get put down because they dont help tony, its the same rap every time tony doesnt win, "well it was so and so's fault for not helping him, yea i was bummed JJ got in a crash, but i didnt sit there and say "#### that michael waltrip for starting the crash." its called racing, and that stuff happens,people need to look at the bigger picture, if there are so called fans out there, how about appreciating the fact you get to see your driver race, win or lose. appreciate the fact no one got hurt, i find it funny how people let it ruin their day when their driver dont win, there will be a time when JJ isnt the hot driver and he starts to finish low in the standings, but i will back him even more when that time comes, because i get to see my fav driver race.

STEWART DENIED IN DAYTONA 500 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Driver in Contention for Win until Last-Lap Jockeying Drops Him from Draft

It was a familiar Daytona 500 weekend for Tony Stewart. The driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala for Stewart Haas Racing (SHR) came into the season-opening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway fresh off his win in Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race -- his fourth straight such victory and his sixth in the last seven years. And just as he's done in past years, Stewart took that momentum and applied it toward a Daytona 500 victory -- something that had eluded Stewart in 12 previous starts in the Great American Race.

His 13th Daytona 500 start gave Stewart hope that perhaps this was the year, as he was a contender throughout the 208-lap contest, which was extended eight laps past its originally distance via a green-white-checkered finish. But just as past Daytona 500s have left Stewart more jaded than jovial, Sunday's 53rd Daytona 500 felt like more of the same, for Stewart went from being second with two laps remaining to finishing 13th.

As strong as Stewart's Office Depot/Mobil1 Chevy was, he needed help. Racing in the draft is a necessity at Daytona, and this year, two-car tandems were the fast way around the spacious, 2.5-mile oval. Stewart had many dancing partners during the day, and while he never led a lap, he was a top-10 mainstay.

In the final, two-lap dash to the finish, Stewart was in second-place on the outside of leader Trevor Bayne. It was the race's final restart, and Stewart appeared in prime position to finally win his first Daytona 500 and the 40th point-paying race of his Sprint Cup career. Behind Stewart was Mark Martin, and it made sense to believe that the two Chevrolets could draft their way past Bayne and onto Daytona 500 fame.

That notion soon fizzled, however, when the inside line led by Bayne got going quicker than the one led by Stewart. Knowing time was running out, Stewart darted left in an attempt to catch the faster train of cars. More jockeying took place, and before the field came back around to take the final lap, Stewart had been jettisoned outside the top-five, and when the checkered flag dropped, he was outside the top-10 -- an area he hadn't been all day.

Stewart climbed from his car in the garage area shaking his head at the incredulous nature of his race. No words were needed. Adding insult to injury was the final result of his SHR teammate, Ryan Newman.

With his No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet, Newman had paced the Daytona 500 nine times for a race-high 37 laps -- his best Daytona 500 showing since winning the event in 2008. Yet, two late-race accidents conspired to leave Newman 22nd.

Enjoying a much better day was Bayne. The 20-year-old driver pulled off a major upset by winning NASCAR's most prestigious race. With little Sprint Cup experience and driving for a team that's only running a part-time schedule, Bayne held off some of NASCAR's best to win his first career Sprint Cup race. In only his second Sprint Cup start, Bayne became the youngest Daytona 500 winner, and he did it driving for one of the most storied organizations in NASCAR.

Wood Brothers Racing was the franchise that gave Richard Petty a run for his money in the 1970s and early '80s. But after 97 victories -- the last of which came on March, 25 2001 when Elliott Sadler drove their car to victory at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway -- the team had gone winless. And in 2008, the proud, family-owned team was forced to run a part-time schedule. Bayne's Daytona 500 win injected a shot of adrenaline to the team and the sport of NASCAR, for it was an honest win by an honest kid for a team that helped shape the NASCAR we know today. This was the Wood Brothers' fifth Daytona 500 victory, but first since 1976 when David Pearson was their driver.

Bayne crossed the finish line .118 of a second over second-place Carl Edwards. Finishing third was David Gilliland, while Bobby Labonte and Kurt Busch rounded out the top-five. Juan Pablo Montoya, Regan Smith, Kyle Busch, Paul Menard and Martin comprised the remainder of the top-10.

The 53rd Daytona 500 was a record-breaking race on three fronts: lead changes (74), leaders (22) and cautions (16), with 60 laps run under the yellow flag. Thirteen drivers failed to finish.

Points following the Daytona 500 also had an unusual angle, for despite winning the Daytona 500, Bayne earned no points for his triumph. Bayne declared the stepping-stone Nationwide Series as the division in which he will compete for a driver's championship in 2011, so he was awarded no points for his Daytona 500 effort. Drivers in all three of NASCAR's national series -- Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck -- must select the series in which they'll compete for a driver's championship. Drivers may race in all three series, but they will only earn championship points in their "declared" series. It is a new rule for 2011, which coincides with a revamped point structure.

Basically, points have been simplified, and they apply to all NASCAR national series. Now, points are awarded in one-point increments. In Sprint Cup, that means the race winner gets 43 points, plus three bonus point for the victory. The winner can also earn an extra point for leading a lap and another point for leading the most laps, bringing their total to a possible maximum of 48 points. All other drivers in subsequent finishing order will be separated by one-point increments. A second-place finisher will earn 42 points, a third-place finisher will earn 41 points, and so on. Last-place (43rd) gets one point.

Stewart is tied for 12th in the Sprint Cup championship standings with David Ragan. Stewart has 31 points and is 11 markers behind series leader Edwards. Newman is tied with Denny Hamlin for 19th. Each has 24 points, 18 arrears Edwards.

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Feb. 27 Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix International Raceway.

Last edited by HiddenHollow on Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.